Fluid-actuated oscillatable lawn sprinkler



J. GLADSTONE FLUID-ACTUATED OSCILLATABLE LAWN SPRINKLER Filed March 21 1955 Oct. 1, 1957 s Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Oct. 1, 1957 J..GLADSTONE FLUID-ACTUATED OSCILLATABLE LAWN SPRINKLER Filed March 21, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR J OSEPH GLAD: 701v:

BY g 47g ATTORNEY Oct. 1, 1957 v J. GLADSTONE 2,808,292

' FLUID-ACTUATED OSCILLATABLE LAWN SPRINKLER Filed March 21, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. JOSEPH GZ/IOSI'OA'E FLUID-ACTUATED OSCILLATABLE LAWN SPRINKLER Application March 21, 1955, Serial No. 495,659

1 Claim. (Cl. 299-67) This invention relates to a fluid sprinkler and more particularly to a lawn sprinkler of the fluid-actuated oscillatable type.

The prime object of my present invention centers about the provision of a lawn sprinkler of the type inwhich the sprinkler is oscillated (to cover a large sprinkler or spray area) by motor mechanism actuated by the fluid flow, characterized by a construction in which all parts of the motor mechanism are housed, so that a selfcontained sprinkler is produced.

A further prime object of the invention pertains to an all-mechanism-housed, self-contained, fluid-actuated oscillatable sprinkler embodying a construction in which the sprinkler is oscillated about an axis coaxial with the fluid inlet or hose coupling attachment, the hose coupling attachment thereby being in fixed position with the sprinkler oscillating about this position.

Ancillary objects of the invention relate to the provision of a fluid-actuated oscillatable sprinkler of the character above referred to which embodies a minimum of mechanical parts, readily assemblable into the sprinkler structure, in which the motor mechanism is arranged in good balance in the sprinkler and in which. themechanism is easily and efliciently operated by the fluid flow.

In carrying out these objects, the sprinkler structure of the present invention, in one of its broader aspects, comprises a casing provided with a sprinkler outlet such as sprinkler orifices, said casing being hung on a mounting for oscillating movement about an axis, the mounting being provided with a fixed fluid inlet coaxial with said axis communicating with the casing and motor means wholly housed by the casing for imparting the oscillatory movement thereto by the flow of the fluid from the fixed inlet to the oscillating sprinkler outlet.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing objects and such other objects as may hereinafter appear my invention is directed to the fluid-actuated oscillatable lawn sprinkler as sought to be defined in the appended claim taken together with the following specification and the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the fluid-actuated lawn sprinkler;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view :of Fig. 2 taken in cross-section in the plane of line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view of Fig. 2 taken in cross-section in the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the lawn sprinkler with a part broken away to show part of the interior mechanism thereof, this figure showing the lawn sprinkler in one of its oscillated positions;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 5 and showing the sprinkler in another of its oscillated positions; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the sprinkler in still another of its oscillated positions.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings and having reference first to Figs. 1, 2 and 5 to 7, the fluid- United States Patent 0 actuated sprinkler comprises in one of its generic aspects a housing or casing C' provided with a sprinkler outlet 0, such as a plurality of sprinkler orifices, said casing being hung on a mounting base B for oscillating movement about an axis A, the mounting being provided with a fixed fluid inlet I coaxial with said axis A communicating with the interior of the casing C, and motor means M wholly housed by the casing for imparting the oscillatory movement thereto about the axis A produced by the flow of fluid from the fixed inlet I to the sprinkler outlet 0. In this oscillating movement the sprinkler casing C with its enclosed motor mechanism M is oscillated between the positions shown in Figs. 2, 6, 5 and 7 of the drawings, the same being movable from the vertical position shown in Fig. 2 to a position approximately 45 from the vertical, as shown in Fig. 6 then back to a vertical position as shown in Fig. 5 and then to a position of approximately 45 from the vertical in the opposite direction, as shown in Fig. 7, the movement or operation being in cyclic repetition.

The oscillatory casing C comprises a casing body 10 having integral front and side walls which may take the shape indicated in the figures, having a back cover 12 secured to the casing proper by means of screws or rivets 14, 14, the cover being sealed to the casing body in any approved manner. The opposite side walls of the casing 10 are provided with the orifices 16 and 18 (see Fig. 2) coincident with the axis of oscillation A and are provided externally at this region with the bushings 20 and 22.

The mounting base B comprises the oppositely positioned legs 24 and 26 of substantially inverted U-shaped form united by base connections 28 and 30; and to the apexes of the legs 24 and 26 are attached plates 32 and 34 respectively of approximately halfmoon shape.

The mounting base B is provided with fixed axially aligned bearings in the form of trunnion bearings on which the oscillatory casing is. hung for its oscillating movement. One of these trunnion bearings comprises a water inlet pipe or director'36 extending into and communicating with the interior of the casing 10, the same being attached to the plate 32 by: means of a holder 38; and to the external end of the inlet 'pipe 36 is fitted a rotatable hose coupler 40. The other trunnion bearing comprises a shaft 42 the outer end 44 of which is nonrotatably fixed to the plate 34 (as by having its end squared and fitting into a square orifice in the plate 34 and by being additionally riveted to the plate as shown) the said shaft 42 extending into the interior of the casing through the casing axis orifice 18. For suspendedly supporting the casing on these trunnion bearings 36 and 42 the trunnion bearings are fitted into the bushings 2t) and 22, the fitting being sealed by the 0 rings 46 and 48.

The motor M mounted in and fully contained by the casing C is constructed and connected for imparting oscillatory movement to the casing C and, therefore, to the sprinkler outlet orifices O by the flow of fluid (water) into the fluid inlet 36 (from a hose coupled to the hose coupling 40) through the interior (and sealed) casing and out through the sprinkler orifices O. This motor comprises in its generic aspect a fluid impeller 50 (such as a water wheel) journalled in the casing (and oscillating therewith) facing the fluid inlet 36 and a driven mechanism generally designated as 52 anchored to the casing and connected to be driven by the impeller 50, said driven mechanism 52 having a terminating connection 54 to the fixed trunnion bearing 42'.

The water impeller 50 has a shaft 56 journalled in bearings 58, 58 fitted in sleeves 60, 60 forming part of an inner gear casing 62. The impeller and impeller shaft are so positioned in the casing that the oscillating axis A is in alignment with the peripheral teeth 64 (see Fig. 1) of the impeller in all of the oscillated positions of the impeller. To this end, the axis of the impeller is displaced from and lies in a plane normal to said axis of oscillation A, with the said axis of oscillation being in alignment with the teeth of the impeller as best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. ,As will be seemf o example,

from Fig. 2 of the drawings, in the oscillations imparted gear 68 fixed to a shaft 70, which shaft is journalled by cup bearings 72, 72 at its opposite ends in the gear casing 62 the said shaft having aflixed thereto atits lo'wer end a worm 74 which in turn meshes'with a spur gear 76 fixed to the shaft 78, also appropriately journalled in the the inlet 36 to the outlet rotation will be imparted to the impeller 50 and thence by the gearing mechanism 52 to the spur gear 76 and the shaft 78.

For converting the operationof the impeller 50 and the gear system 52 to oscillations of the sprinkler casing C the shaft 78 is connected by a linkage mechanism to the fixed trunnion shaft .42. This linkage "mechanism .comprisesacrank arm 80 fixed to the end of the shaft 78 and pivoted at 82 to the terminus link 54, the latter being in turn pivotally connected at 84- to a stationary bar 86 fixedly anchored at 88 (see particularly Figs. to 7) to the fixed trunnion 42. As a result, upon rotation of the shaft 78 and its crank arm 80 the linkage mechanism moves sequentially through the positions of Figs. 2, 6, 5 and 7 (in cyclic repetition) thus causing the action to be imparted to the described oscillations of the sprinkler casing and its housed motor mechanism.

The fluid-actuated lawn sprinkler of the present invention, its mode of operation and the advantages flowing therefrom will all in the main be fully apparent from the above detailed description of its structure and operation. On the essentials it will be seen that upon connecting a hose to the hose coupling 40 fixed in position on the mounting baseB the sprinkler casing or housing will be set into oscillating motion about an axis coaxial with that of the hose connection, the water flowing in a spray through the outlet orifices 0 about an oscillating arc.

All of the parts of the motor mechanism are housed and 'wh'olly'contained within the oscillating casing or housing.

igear casing 62. Upon the flow of fluid in the casing from 7 The gearing system of the motor mechanism is, in turn, separately housed in an inner casing which may be filled with a water-excluding lubricant. The motor mechanism comprises a minimum of parts which are readily assemblable to make up the sprinkler structure. The designis'such .that the motor mechanism, as shown in Fig. 2, is arranged in good balance in the sprinkler casing,

the mechanismbeing easily and efliciently operated by It will be apparent that many changes may be made in the structure exemplifying the principles of the present invention without departing from the essence of the following claim.

I claim:

A fluid-actuatcd oscillatable fluid sprinkler comprising a casing provided with a sprinkler outlet, a mounting for the casing, the casing being hung on the mounting for oscillating movement about an axis, said mounting being provided with a fluid inlet coaxial with said axis of oscillation communicating with the interior of said casing,

and'inotor means mounted in and fully contained by said casing for imparting oscillatory movement thereto and thereby to said sprinkler outlet, said motor means comprising afl'uid impeller journalled in said casing facing said fluid inlet, the axis of said impeller being displaced from and lying in a planev normal to the said axis of oscillation, withthe said axis of oscillation being in alignment with the teeth of the impeller in all oscillating positions of the impeller, gearing mechanism anchored interiorly to said casing and connected to be driven by said impeller, a crank arm driven by said gearing mechanism and linkage means connecting said crank arm interiorly of the casing to a fixed part of said mounting.

. References Cited in the file of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 1,939,803 Cataldi' Dec. 19, 1933 2,509,762 Dammeyer May 30, 1950 2,621,967- Sorenson Dec. 16, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 176,550 Switzerland July 1, 1935 Denmark Aug. 27, 1951 

